Folding crate.



No. 787,645. PATENTED APR. 18, 1905. J. M. RUSSELL.

FOLDING-CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1904.

Witnesses 6 Inventor f UNITED STATES Patented April 18, 1905.

JAMES M. RUSSELL, OF FLORA, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING CRATE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 787,645, dated April 18, 190 5.

Application filed March 23, 1904. Serial No. 199,606.

To all whmn it may concern: 7

Be it known that 1, JAMES M. RUSSELL, a citizen of the United States, residingat Flora, in the county of Clay and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Foldable Crate, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to crates of the type known as knockdown or ffolding crates, and has for its objects to produce a simple inexpensive device of this character in which the parts may be readily and securely assembled for use or disconnected and arranged in compact form for shipment or storage.

To these ends the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crate embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view, partly in section, showing the manner of attaching the side walls to the heads. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of portions of one of the side walls and heads disconnected.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that my improved crate comprises a pair of end members or heads 1 and a plurality (usually four) of side members or panels 2, arranged to bear, respectively, upon the marginal edges of the heads, to which latter they are detachably secured by engaging and looking devices 3.

The heads 1 are preferably of rectangular form, as shown, and have, respectively, upon each of their marginal faces 4 a pair of the devices 3. These devices, which are oppositely disposed and situated, respectively, adjacent to the terminals of the edge faces 4, to which they are applied, are in the form of angle-screws having their threaded shanks .in engagement with the heads 1 and their angularly-bent engaging portions suitably spaced from and in a plane substantially parallel with the edges 4:.

The sides or panels are shown in the pres ent instance as being composed of a series of transversely-spaced slats 5, fastened at their ends in some suitable manner to transverse connecting members or stiles 6, which in practice when the parts are assembled lie upon the outer faces of the heads 1 and conjointly surround the same, the meeting ends of the stiles or cleats 5 being coincidently beveled, as shown. The outer slats 5 of each side have formed in their inner transverse edges suitable recesses 7, adapted when the parts are assembled to register with and constitute seats for the engaging devices 3, which latter are, after the sides are placed in position, partially rotated for their angular engaging portions to override and engage with the adjacent slats.

Attention is directed to the fact that owing to the stiles or cleats 6 engaging upon the outer faces of the heads the devices 3 are relieved from the strains due to inward pressure on the heads, while lateral strains upon the said devices from transverse movement of the side panels is obviated by the cleats bearing at their ends one upon another. It is further to be noted that for filling the crate any one of the sides may be removed, thus in practice obviating necessity for turning the crate to bring a certain predetermined side uppermost, and that when the devices 3 are turned to locking engagement they will, through the action of the screw-threaded shanks, be drawn inward to bind sufiiciently upon the adjacent slats for obviating accidental turning of the devices.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I produce an exceedingly simple inexpensive device which is admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in View; but it is to be understood that minor changes may be made in the details herein set forth without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, instead of composing the panels of slats it is obvious that in instances when desired the sides may be made solid, but that the end cleats 6 will. in all cases be retained.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is A knockdown crate or packing-case including heads or end pieces, anglescrews rotatably engaging and extending from the edges In testimony that I claim the foregoing as of said end pieces, and side members having my own I have hereto aftixed my signature in [O clealts elxteriorioy abutting upon the end pieees, the presence of two witnesses. sai sic e mem ers being provided with s ots I 5 for the passage of the heads of the angle- JAMES RUSSELL screws and the latter being adapted, when Witnesses: turned to engaging position, to tighten against HARVEY F. PIXLEY, the side members. G. E. HEMPHILL. 

